Backgrounder

Gibran won’t be impeached, but that’s not the point

The controversy surrounding Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has entered a new phase. Criticism of how he reached office is increasingly channeled into talk of impeachment. Paradoxically, the more it is discussed, the less likely it seems to happen. The mechanism exists, but the politics suggest its impact will be symbolic rather than institutional.

Forest fires prove governance failures have gone too far

Who pays when Indonesia’s tax ambitions fall short?

With three months left in the year, Indonesia has collected barely two-thirds of its annual tax target. The government now faces an uncomfortable choice over how aggressively to pursue the remainder and where to restrain spending. Every effort to balance the books carries consequences for businesses and people who depend on public services. Who will bear the cost if the government's revenue ambitions exceed its capacity to collect?

Edition

October 9, 2026

Court decision lets Gibran’s questionable diploma slide

The latest ruling by the Constitutional Court has raised far more questions than it has answered regarding the educational qualifications of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Same uniform, new master: The limits of police reform

Bahlil takes on a new coordinating role, but questions remain over its purpose

Bahlil Lahadalia's latest appointment as coordinating downstream and energy transition minister gives him an unusually broad mandate, as he will also retain his position as energy and mineral resources minister, though the scope of the newly established coordinating ministerial post is yet to be clearly defined in terms of authority and jurisdiction. The arrangement seems to be in line with the government's continuing prioritization of downstream industrial development, but raises a central question: Will the new post improve coordination on Indonesia's downstream and energy transition agenda or simply add another layer of bureaucracy?

Edition

October 2, 2026

Equality before the law ends inside prison cells

Indonesia has once again been forced to confront an uncomfortable question: What happens to the principle of equality before the law once the courtroom doors close?

Flawed mandate: The strategy behind the Gibran petitions

KRL import stopgap highlights INKA’s deeper problems

The decision by PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) to recall several electric trains produced by PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) for its Commuter Line service adds to the challenges facing the state-owned rolling stock manufacturer, which is struggling with high debt and production constraints amid a planned merger with KAI.

Edition

September 25, 2026

Land agency graft probe puts high-profile figures in spotlight

Indonesia has barely had time to digest one high-profile corruption scandal before another has breached the surface, this time striking at the heart of the country's land administration. The latest case centers on the Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry/National Land Agency (BPN).

The threshold fight: What 5 percent debate means for 2029

Haji Isam’s Bayan deal lands amid RKAB delays, exposing coal mining’s regulatory risks

The proposed acquisition of a 30 percent stake in PT Bayan Resources (BYAN) by Jhonlin Baratama has entered a new phase after both parties signed a conditional sale and purchase agreement. The deal follows weeks of uncertainty over Bayan's production quota, which had forced three of its subsidiaries to declare force majeure while awaiting approval of their revised 2026 mining work and budget plans (RKAB). The timing of the acquisition, Bayan's force majeure declaration and the subsequent approval of its revised production quota raises questions about the role of regulatory intervention in corporate outcomes.